Mind-numbing. Teeth-grinding. Bone-wrenching. I'm talking about clichés.

Slicing down like sleet, they've bombarded us from our first breath. We use them constantly. We tell customers their dishes will be virtually spotless. We inform employees that, moving forward, we'll touch base on mutually beneficial opportunities. And let's not even get into mission statements.

Clichés are grammatical abuse of the worst kind, because they're worthless. Worthless in advertising. Worthless in business memos. Worthless because they carry no weight. And, since they're insubstantial, they can't punch through the skin.

Why?

Because we've heard them before. And heard them again. The first time someone said "one day at a time," a caveperson stopped, thought deeply about the sentiment, and decided to spend more time with his or her cavekids.

The sixteenth time the phrase was used, a medieval princess stopped pining for her knight and started focusing on her inner child.

But the four hundred and three billionth time it was said, no one heard it. For, by then, the words meant nothing.

So, let's kill the cliché.

Don't Agree? Let's Try a Test

You're watching television. A car commercial comes on. Before you read another word, can you imagine what it would be like?

OK, now let me take a shot.

There's a silver luxury car driving fast on a winding road next to the ocean. A narrator tells you about the new ZJ487C, which surrounds you with comfort and speed. The deep voice explains that your entire life will change when you're driving through it in this car. The camera then zooms up and back as the car drives away, and the narrator ends with, "The ZJ487C—Because You Deserve the Best—You Always Have."

Was mine close to yours? Of course, your commercial may have varied a bit. Your car may have looked different, and it may have been driving through a forest. But I bet the concept was the same.

How do I know?

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jim Warda is the author of Where Are We Going So Fast? and a speaker, columnist and communication consultant. For more information, visit www.jimwarda.com.

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